Dumping scow



H. BACK DUMPING SCOW Aug, 20, 1935.

2 Sheets-Sh Filed March 26,

Hans Baa/ INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 20,1935. H, BA K 2,011,886

DUMPINGQ scow Filed March 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,2 2 2/ 2/ 2 Z Z /6H 23 Z Z 22 Z 7 i e o l j Ha 17.9 Back INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug.29, 1935 mist 1-; g; DUMPING scow I Hans Back, Steilacoom, Vlfalsh.Minut man at, 1932, Serial No 601,373 I ie Claims. ((31. 114-29) Mypresent invention relates to improvements in dumping scowsof a typeintended ,for use in transporting. materials .such as sand, gravel,

stone, garbage, etc on the water and being 7:; adapted to permit ofquickly discharging: such materials into the'water at a selectedplace;

Aprimary object ofthe invention istolprovide a scow comprising a pair ofcomplementary buoyant pontoons, being normally held in. sub- .lc';stantially close parallel position with respect to one another, andhavinga longitudinally divided hopper structure mounted'on said pontoonsto provide, a receptacle or hold for the material to g p, betransported'and being adapted when-com- *15 plementary parts. are.-.unrestrainedto automatically. assume an attitude'in which the hopperwill be opened, thereby dumping the icon tentsthereof into the waterbetween the pen toons, andbeing further adapted to automaticah 1y assumean attitude in"whic'h the hopper will be closedaftor: completion of thedumping operation. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a scow of the characterset forth, and in which the pontoons are so designed and constructedasto advantageously utilize the principles of buoyancy in eiiecting anautomatic return, of the parts of the scow from an opened to a closedposition. r f A still furtherobject. is to provide a scow, of

'the character above set forth,' in which means are employed forretaining the parts of the scow in an opened or dumping position until afull and complete discharge ofthe hopper contents has'bzen effected, andwherein said meansconstitute a common mediumior retaining thecomplementary parts of the scowfin both op'e'ned and closedpositions. Astill further object is to provide a scow adapted to attain the aboveobjects andinwhich the hopper comprises two sections abutting oneanother on a plane longitudinally of the scow, para-11:1 with andintermediate'the pontoons, and being hinged'together at the top of thehopper rather than at the deck line of the pontoons, in order that thepo'ntoons are not'required to tilt in an extreme position for thepurpose of efiect- 'ing sufficientopening of the hopper to-allow adischarge of the contents thereof. 7

A still furtherooject is, to provide a scow of the character and for thepurposes set forth and in which means are provided for the purpose of retaining the complementary pontoons against 55, relative endwisemovem'entwith respect-to each placedin the hopperthereof. R l l FigureVI-is a transverse vertical sectional view "similar to Figure 7V; exceptthat' thescow'is 35 shown in thedumping' position, andillustratingother, especially when the scow is being com ducted over rough bodies ofwater. I

The invention thus resides in certain novel combinations andarrangements of; parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth anddescribed. 5

In the accompanying drawings, to whichI now refer, I have illustratedone example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the partsare combined and arranged according to the mode which I consider mostpractical for 10' the application of the principles of my invention. I

Figure I is a top plan view of my improved dumping scow. i I

iFigure II is a'view in side elevation of the scow, 15,: disclosingcertain parts not seen in FigureI;

V .Figure III is a view in elevation of one end of the scow inclosed'position, it being pointed out that both ends of the same areidentical in construce' tion except thata similar-view oftheopposite 20end would disclose the restraining mechanism in transposed position. a V

Figure lV is a View in-elevation 'of onelend of the scow; being-similarto Figure III, but illustrating the scowin an opened position andshowing 25., themanner in whichthe restraining, mechanism mayhold'thesame'in such position,

Figure V is a transverse vertical sectional View of the scow in close'dposition, as at line5-5 of Figure I,andillustrating the scow as floatingon 30 the water, and also indicating by an upper dotted line theapproximate toplof a loadof material by small arrows the manner ofdischarging the transported material through the bottom of the, hopperand into the waterbetween the pontoons;

FigureiVII is an elaboratedmview i n'perspective 4 0 of the. mechanismadapted 'to'restrainfl'the complementary parts of the scow in eithertheopened or'the closed positions, and with only a fragment l of certainparts being shown invv order to.accom-' modate the'view to the sheet.'

In the practical application .ofthe principles of'my invention I employa pair of complementary suitable framing to'supporta deck wall l,l,-outerr 51,3

side Wall'l2, inner sidewall l3, bottom wall It and end walls l5, Thepontoons may be constructed of any suitable materials and may beinternally braced as shown in Figures V and VI, to secure the desiredstrength and rigidity, and guard rails It may be provided to serve asbumpers to protect the sides of the pontoons and to further strengthenthe same. The pontoons are so designed that in the normal or closedposition of the scow, as; seen in Figures III and V, the

7 decks I! lie in a level or horizontal plane and the side walls [2, l3,occupy vertical positions,

but the bottom walls I 4 are inclined inwardly and downwardly from theouter side walls I2 to the inner side walls l3. Thisarrangement'constitutes one of the prime features of'theinventionwherein the pontoons are given a greater depth toward theirinner sides, and this feature further augments an inherent tendency ofthescow to automatically close after the hopper contents have beendischarged, as will hereinafter be more fully described. 4 r

A hopper is provided for the reception of the material to be transportedand this hopper is built completely above the decks of the pontoons aridequally positioned on each of the pontco'ns. The hopper is constructedwith a pair of compleinentary end walls IT, IT, at one'e'nd of the scowand a second pair I8, I8, at the opposite end thereof and each wall of apair is mounted on andv the weight of heavy materials which may be:

placedin the hopper and also for a further'pur pos'e, hereinafter setforth, and these braces 20 are shown in Figures I and II only, to avoidcomplication of parts shown in the end views of the scow.

A bottom is provided for the hoppeniand this bottom comprises twowallsorfioof's 2 l ,,2 I which extend between the end walls l8, l9, and whichslope inwardly and downwardly from the upper, outer corners of the endwalls to a plane approximately level with the decks of the pontoons,where they converge and abut each other at thev longitudinal center lineof thes'cow,.thereby forming a V shapedbottom for the hopper unit as awhole. The floors2l are reinforced and sup-' p'orted in'proper positionby any suitable struc-' tune, but preferably by a structure of the typeshown in Figures V and VI, where purlins 22 extend between the end wallsl8, Is, the purlins 22 being in turn supported by pillars 23 whichextend vertically between the decks of the pontoons f and the aforesaidpurlins. i.

It will be apparent thus far, from the foregoing description, that theinvention contemplatesitwo separate buoyant pontoons, each havingmounted on and above the deck thereof one-half of ahop per unit, thusforming two individual compl'e mentar y pontoon and hopper'units beingadapted when positioned and held together, as seen in Figures I, III andV, to provide a hopper unit capable of receiving and retaining anymaterial to be transported therein and having a V-shapedbottom for saidhopper unit, for a purpose'which will presently be described.

The two complementary pontoon and hopper units are pivotally connectedtogether at the upper, inner corners of the hopper end walls by suitablehinges 24, and by virtue of being so pivotallyconnected 'arepermitted toswing apart from a closed position, as seen in Figures III and V, to anopened ordumping position, as shown inFigures IV and With thecomplementary parts of the scow in the normalor closed position a loadmay be placed in the hopper thereof and the top outline of such a loadis indicated by the upper dotted line of Figure V. It will be understoodof course, that means are required to secure the parts of the completescow in the proper position to receive and retain a load of material tobe transported'therein, and such means will be hereinafter set forth.When it is desired to discharge the contents of the hopper therestraining means may be released and the weight of the hopper contents,being concentrated in the V- 1 bottom thereof, will exert a downward andoutward'force against the floors 2: of thehopper, thereby forcing thepontoons Hloutward and at the same time opening the hopper in suchmanher that the'contents'thereof will'be discharged into the waterbetween the pontoons. The attitude of the scow during the dumping actionis shown injFigures IV and VI, particularly in Figure VI, where smallarrows indicate the manner in which the hopper contents are discharged.

After a full and complete discharge of the contentsof the hopper/thebuoyant pontoons it will rise in thewater and due to their particularshape will tend to seek positions in which they'a're rid-' ing on moreor less even keel. Since the two complementary parts of the scow arehinged together, as described, this action automaticallyeifects a 7return of the'parts to the closed or normal posi-' tion as shown inFigures III and V, provided, how-.

ever, that the parts have not been permitted to swing apart beyond apredetermined limit and beyond which limit the weight of the'hopperunits would offset the tendency of the pontoonsto right themselves.Considering the pontoons l0 individually, it will be apparent thattheirnatural tendency is. to float in a balanced position with respect totheir shape and the distribution of weightthroughout each pontoon.Inasmuch as the pontoons, as herein provided, are of greater depthtoward theirinner sides, an added buoyancy is imparted to these sides ofthe pontoons,

' and, were they completely disconnected from one another, they wouldfloat with their inner sides scow in either the normal or closedposition as shown Figures I, III and'V, or the opened position as shownin Figures IV and .VI, and these means are also effective in preventingthe opening of the scow beyond a'predetermined limit during the dumpingoperation,- While it will be apparent that various suitable mechanismsmay be employed for this, purpose I prefer to use the mechanism shown inthe drawings, parts of which are advantageously illustrated in FigureVII.

"This mechanism includes a pair of arms 25, 25,

preferably madefrom steel H-beams; each having an end thereof adapted tobe'pivotally connected,

as at it, to brackets Z'l, which aremounted on one of thepontoonsateither end thereof and adja-' walls. Mounted on'the otherpontoon, atcppo site endstherecf and adjacent the hopper walls E3; lS, -are asecond pairof brackets 28, which are provided with bearing mountings 29in which a shaft 3E2, extending between the said brackets, is rotatablymounted. Pinion gears 35 are mounted on and secured to the shaft 39adjacent the o-uter sides of the bearings 2%, these pinions 3i beingadapted to engage cog racks a which are carried by the arms 25. ThecogracksZEa ofthearmsZg: are adapted to be held in contact with thepinions 38 by means of yokes 32 which are mounted on the shaft 39 in aposition straddling the pinions and which have surfaces bearing againstthe upper surfaces of the arms 25. The arms 25 are of sufiicient lengthto maintain a constant contact between the pinions 3i and the cog racks25a, whether the scow be in a closed position or an opened position, andthe cog racks are provided at their outer ends with depending lugs 25bto provide a stop for the movement of the racks over the pinions,thereby preventing this object I employ adouble pawl member portedby oneof the brackets 28 and which is provided with pawls 33a and 33b adaptedto engage one of the pinions 3! at opposite sides of its axis when themember 33 is actuated through the medium of an integral lever 330.

From the description of the restraining means thus far it will beseenjthat the complementary parts of the scow may be held in a closedposition, as seen in Figures III and V, when the pawl 33a engages one ofthe pinions 3 i, and which engagement is normally retained due to theweight of the actuating lever 330. By lifting the lever 330 until bothpawls 33a and'SSb clear the pinion 3! the arms 25 will be free to slidethrough v the yokes 32, thereby permitting the freeopening action of thescow due to the Weight of the hopper contents, as previouslydescribed.When the complementary parts of the scow have tilted apart, as seen inFigures IV and VI, the pawl actuating lever 330 may be further raiseduntil the pawl 33b engages the pinion 3!. at the opporotationQandthereby restraining the parts of the scow in the opened or dumpingposition until" a full and complete discharge of the hopper contents hasbeen effected. After completion of this operation the lever 330 may beactuated to again allow the pawls 33a and 33b to clear the pinion 3!,thereby permitting the pinions to rotate and-the arms 25 to passthereover, and the scow as a whole will automatically assume a closedposition by reason of inherent tendencies incorporated therein, aspreviously explained.

'While the drawings anddescription setforth the use of one pawl member33 is will be understood that identical members may be employed for thepurpose of operatively engaging both of the pinions 3i,'according'to thestrength required in restraining mechanisms for scows of differentsizes; and I capacities. However, the, use of one pawl member renders itpossible for'one operator ii to controithe operation offlthe scow from asingle station.

- It is; essential that the various units of the scow be strongly andrigidly constructed as scows of this character are often towed in roughwater and the force of waves impinging against the various surfaces ofthe pontoons would soon destroy or impair a weak structure. Inthisconnection it is pointed out thatthe braces 25 shown in Figures I andII, serve a further purpose than that of reinforcing the end wallsof thehopper against the weight of heavy materials inside of t the hopper.Referring tothe drawingsjand to previous description, it will be seenthat oneend of the braces 25 is secured to the end walls ,of

the hopper near the hinges 24 and the opposite ends thereof are securedto the decks of thepontoons or, to any rigid member of the pontoonstructures. Provided that the hinges 2d. are strongly constructed, it isreadily understandable that the braces Ell serve also to offset anyforce tending to shift the pontoons longitudinally with respect to oneanother. Other means may be provided which would serve the samefunction, but the means shown serve a twofold purpose and are easilyinstalled and readily accessible for repairs if necessary. l

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have set forththe salient features of a vessel adapted to efficiently perform itsvarious functions and which oifers considerable advantage over previoustypes of scows or vessels intended for similar purposes, in thatitsdumping and closing actions when unrestrained are fully automatic,thereby rendering thevuse of power. operating. means unnecessary.

Having thus fully described my invention,'I claim:- f

1. A dumping scow comprising a pair of complementary buoyant pontoons,ahopper structure mounted on the decksof said pontoons and havingupright end walls and walls'extending betweenthe end walls andconverging inwardly and downwardly toward the center of the scow toprovide a V-shaped'bottom for the hopper, said hopper being dividedlongitudinally on a plane intermediate said pontoons to form a pair ofcomplementary hopper, sections each of which is "independently mountedon and secured to one of site'side of its axis, locking the pinion 35against Operable, means for detachably holding i D toons and hoppersections in a fully closed or fully opened position as wellas anyposition [intermediate thereof.

and walls extending between said end walls and converging at thecenter-line of the scow to provide a V-shaped bottom for the hopper,said hopper being divided longitudinally. on' a plane intermediate'thepontoons to form a pair of corn plementary hopper sectionsieach of whichis carried by and secured to one ofthepontoons,

pivotal rneans" connecting the hopper sections together near the upperedges of the hopper end walls in order that the hopper sections and thepontoons secured thereto may swingapart about said pivotal connectionand operable means for holding said hopper sections and pontoons inpositions wherein said hopper sections register or in any of a pluralityof selected positions wherein they are spaced apart. 7 "3. A dumpingscow comprising a pair of parallel complementarybuoyant 'pontoons beingnormally spaced apart and being or" greater depth at their inneradjacent sides, a hopper structure I j mounted on said ponto'ons andhaving end Walls and walls extending between the end walls andconverging inwardly and downwardly towardthe center-line of the scow toprovide a V-shaped bottom for the hopper, said hopper being divided armshaving one end thereof-'pivotally secured to one of the pontoons, rackssecured to'saidarms and havinglugs depending from the outer endsthereof, pinions' rotatably mounted on the opposite pontoon andwithwhich the racks carried by said arms are operativelyassociated and'pawlmembers pivotallyvmounted in operable relation with'said pinions andhavingv a, pair of pawls' adapted to engage said pinions at oppositesides of their axis.

I HANS BACK.

